Safety lock for a safety belt



June l, 1965 A. sELNz-:s

SAFETY. LOCK FOR A SAFETY BELT Filed Oct. 21, 1965 United States Patent O 3,186,054 SAFETY LOCK FR A SAFETY BELT Arnold Selnes, Huitfeldtsgate 28, Oslo, Norway Filed Oct. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 317,517 Claims. (Cl. 24-230) This invention relates to an improved quick-release mechanism for use particularly but not exclusively as a locking device on safety belts in motor vehicles and aircraft.

According to the present invention there is provided a quick-release mechanism comprising a base plate, a cover plate pivotally mounted about a rst axis substantially parallel to the general plane of the base plate so as to be swingable towards and away from the base plate, first spring means operable to urge the cover plate towards the base plate, a first aperture in the base plate, a tongue member insertable between said cover plate and said base plate and formed with a second aperture located to be aligned with the first aperture upon insertion of said tongue member by a predetermined amount, a locking device pivotally carried on said cover plate for rotation about a second axis parallel to said first axis and dimensioned and located to extend into both said first and second apertures when said apertures are aligned, stop means carried on said cover plate and engageable by said locking device to limit angular displacement of said locking device about said second axis in the direction corresponding to the direction of insertion of said tongue member and second spring means associated with said locking device and operable to oppose angular displacement thereof away from said stop means.

One embodiment of a quick-release mechanism according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of the mechanism in the locked position.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the mechanism showing its position immediately after the opening thereof.

FIGURE 2a is a longitudinal section of the mechanism, showing its position with the parts in an unlocked relationship.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section of the mechanism showing its position immediately prior to the locking thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a plan View of the mechanism and FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the cover plate taken on the line V-V or" FIGURE l.

Referring to the drawings, a base plate4 carries a pair of opposed side walls 6. A cover plate 1 is pivotally carried on the side walls 6 of the base plate 4 at 7 for angular displacement between a closed position and an open position about an axis substantially parallel to the general plane of the base plate 4. The cover plate 1 is urged towards the closed position by a spring 3. A tongue member 5 is inserted between the base plate 4 and the cover plate 1 and has a leading edge considered in the direction of insertion. A guide plate 10 is carried on the side walls 6 of the base plate 4 and defines with the base plate a guide passage operable to guide the tongue member 5 during its insertion between the base plate 4 and the cover plate 1. The base plate 4 is formed with an aperture 12 to receive a locking device 2, pivotally carried on a shaft 3 connected to the cover plate 1 for angular displacement of the device 2 about an axis parallel to the aforesaid axis, and extending towards the base plate across the path of insertion of the tongue member 5 in the closed position of the cover plate 1. The locking device 2 is located and dirnensioned to extend freely into the aperture 12 of the base plate 4 in a direction substantially normal to the general plane of the base plate 4 in the closed position of the cover plate 1, and is withdrawable from the aperture 12 by displacement of the cover plate 1 towards the open position. A stop 9 is carried on the cover plate 1 and engages the locking device 2 to limit displacement thereof about an axis in the direction of insertion of the tongue member 5, whereby engagement of the locking device 2 by the leading edge of the tongue member 5 during insertion displaces the cover plate 1 towards the open position to withdraw the locking device 2 from the aperture 12. A spring 11 opposes angular displacement of the locking device 2 away from the stop 9. The tongue member 5 is formed with an aperture 5 having a diameter less than that of the aperture 12 and capable lof receiving the locking device 2. The aperture 5 is spaced from the leading edge of the tongue member 5 and located in alignment with the aperture 12 by insertion of the tongue member 5 between the base plate 4 and the cover plate 1 by a predetermined amount. The aperture 5 is dimensioned to permit the locking device 2 to extend therethrough into the aperture 12 when the apertures 5' and 12 are aligned. A spring 15 fastened to the base plate and disposed between same and the cover plate 1 opposes insertion of the tongue member 5 therebetween. As will be seen from FIGURE 5 two locking devices 2 are proposed1 one at each side of the cover plate 1 which engage in respective apertures in the base plate 4 and tongue member 5. The base plate 4 and tongue member 5 are respectively formed with slots 13 and 14 to receive ends of a belt (not shown).

I claim:

1. A quick release mechanism comprising a base plate having opposite upstanding parallel side walls, a cover plate overlying said base plate and pivotally mounted at a first end on said side walls to swing about a pivot axis substantially parallel to and spaced from said base plate so that a second end of said cover plate is swingable toward and away from said cover plate to urge said second end toward the base plate to a closed position, a first aperture in said base plate under an intermediate portion of said cover plate, a tlat tongue member insertable between said base plate and cover plate in a first direction from said pivotally mounted first end of said cover plate toward said second end and formed with a second aperture located to be aligned with said lirst aperture when said tongue member is inserted a predetermined distance, a locking device pivotally carried on the under side of said cover for rotation about a second am's parallel to said first axis and dimensioned and located to extend downwardly into both said first and second apertures when said apertures are aligned, second spring means biasing said locking device to swing away from said first axis, and stop means limiting the swinging movement of said locking device away from said rst axis to a position approximately normal to said cover plate, said locking device being swingable about said second axis against the bias of said second spring means by withdrawal movement of said tongue member in a direction to move said second aperture toward said first axis to release said tongue member when said second end of said cover plate is moving away from said base plate sufficiently to withdraw said locking device from said first aperture.

2. A quick release mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a guide plate overlying and spaced from said base plate adjacent said first end of said cover plate to guide the insertion of said tongue member between said base plate and said cover plate.

3. A quick release mechanism comprising a base plate having opposite upstanding parallel side Walls, a first pivot shaft extending between said side walls near a first end of said base plate, said base plate being provided at a second end with means for attaching a belt, a cover member overlying said base plate and pivotally mounted at a first end on said first pivot shaft to swing about said shaft so that a second end of said cover member is swingable toward andaway from said base plate, first spring means biasing said cover member to urge said second end toward said base plate to a closed position in which said second end is near to but spaced from said base plate, a irst aperture in said base plate under an intermediate portion of said cover member, a at tongue member having a leading end and a second end provided with means for attachment to a belt, the leading end of said tongue member being insertable between said base plate and said shaft and cover member in a direction toward said second end of said cover member and formed with a second aperture located to be aligned with said iirst aperture when said tongue member is inserted a predetermined distance, a second pivot shaft carried on the underside of said cover member parallel to said first shaft and spaced therefrom to be over said first aperture of the base plate, a locking device pivotally mounted on said second shaft and eX- tending downwardly into said first aperture when said cover member is in closed position, second spring means biasing said locking device to swing away from said rst shaft, and stop means limiting the swinging movement of said locking device to a position approximately normal to said cover member, said locking device passing through said second aperture in said tongue member and engaging an edge of tirst aperture in said base plate when said tongue member is inserted said predetermined distance and said cover member is in closed position to lock said tongue member against withdrawal in a direction from said second end toward said first end of said cover mem- Yspaced and aligned apertures, said tongue member is provided with two apertures aligned with said apertures in said base plate when said tongue member is inserted a predetermined distance and two locking devices are provided on said second shaft and positioned to extend respectively into said'two apertures in said base plate when said cover member is in closed position.

5. A quick release mechanism according to claim 4, in which said second spring means consists of a single spring biasing both of said locking devices to swing toward said lirst shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,893,088 7/59 Harper et al 24-75 FOREIGN PATENTS 266,053 7/29 Italy.

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application 1,059,692, June 1959.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

1. A QUICK RELEASE MECHANISM COMPRISING A BASE PLATE HAVING OPPOSITE UPSTANDING PARALLEL SIDE WALLS, A COVER PLATE OVERLYING SAID BASE PLATE AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT A FIRST END OF SAID SIDE WALLS TO SWING ABOUT A PIVOT AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO AND SPACED FROM SAID BASE PLATE SO THAT SECOND END OF SAID COVER PLATE IS SWINGABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID COVER PLATE TO URGE SAID SECOND END TOWARD THE BASE PLATE TO CLOSED POSITION, A FIRST APERTURE IN SAID BASE PLATE UNDER AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID COVER PLATE, A FLAT TONGUE MEMBER INSERTABLE BEWEEN SAID BASE PLATE AND COVER PLATE IN A FIRST DIRECTION FROM SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FIRST END OF SAID COVER PLATE TOWARD SAID SECOND END AND FORMED WITH A SECOND APERTURE LOCATED TO BE ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST APERTURE WHEN SAID TONGUE MEMBER IS INSERTED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, A LOCKING DEVICE PIVOTALLY CARRIED ON THE UNDER SIDE OF SAID COVER FOR ROTATION ABOUT A SECOND AXIS PARALLELT TO SAID FIRST AXIS AND DIMENSIONED AND LOCATED TO EXTEND DOWNWARDLY IN BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND APERTURES WHEN SAID APERTURES ARE ALIGNED, SECOND SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID LOCKING DEVICE TO SWING AWAY FROM SAID FIRST AXIS, AND STOP MEANS LIMITING THE SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING DEVICE AWAY FROM SAID FIRST AXIS TO A PORTION APPROXIMATELY NORMAL TO SAID COVER PLATE, SAID LOCKING DEVICE BEING SWINGABLE ABOUT SAID SECOND AXIS AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID SECOND SPRING MEANS BY WITHDRAWAL MOVEMENT OF SAID TONGUE MEMBER IN A DIRECTION TO MOVE SAID SECOND APERTURE TOWARD SAID FIRST AXIS TO RELEASE SAID TONGUE MEMBER WHEN SAID SECOND END OF SAID COVER PLATE IS MOVING AWAY FROM SAID BASE PLATE SUFFICIENTLY TO WITHDRAW SAID LOCKING DEVICE FROM SAID FIRST APERTURE. 